| Many plants are able to survive in a desert; indeed, very few areas
on Earth have no life at all. Desert plants have adaptations to live in
the heat with little water. They are short and grow far apart from each
other, so the roots of each plant can collect and store water. Many bushes
grow and flower rapidly after a rain shower. Some plants are deciduous
during the dry season; others have leaves that remain but are adapted to
minimize loss of water. Plants called succulents, which have thick bark,
swollen stems, and fat leaves to store water, do well in this harsh environment.
Other plants have spines (modified leaves) and green stems to manufacture
nutrients. Oases occur where underground water comes close to the ground
surface. The vegetation is more lush here, and oases are very attractive
to wildlife. |
